Illegal immigrants arrested in nail bar raid
OFFICIALS have arrested three illegal immigrants working in nail bars.
Officers from the UK Border Agency acted on intelligence and raided two shops in Hanley.
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Nail Creation was on of the salons raided.
They visited Angel Star Nails in Piccadilly and arrested a 23-year-old Vietnamese man who was identified as an illegal entrant. He is being detained, ready to be removed from the country.
Officers also visited Nail Creation in Town Road where they found two more illegal Vietnamese nationals. A 20-year-old woman who had no valid visa was arrested and detained. She has since been removed from the country.
A man was also arrested and has been released on immigration bail pending his removal.
The owner of Nail Creation was issued with an on-the-spot penalty notice and risks a fine of up to £10,000 for each illegal worker.
Nineteen-year-old Phuong Pham, manageress at the shop, said: "It was very upsetting. The woman they have arrested was a relative of mine. She was visiting me after coming over to my wedding at the end of September. She thought she could stay in the country for three months without a visa. She was just sitting in the shop when they came in, she wasn't even working.
"I came to England in 2003 to do GCSEs and A-levels and then we opened the business in April this year. Since then we have had four raids by immigration officials.
"There are only four people working here, an English girl on reception, myself and two other Vietnamese girls, and we all have the correct papers.
"Vietnamese people are better at nail care because they are fast and work in a different way to English people.
"The two Vietnamese workers came over here already trained. If I took on an English girl I would have to train her."
The owner of Angel Star Nails was unavailable for comment.
Gail Adams, UK Border Agency regional director for the Midlands, said: "These jobs provide a pull factor for illegal migrants and they can lead to major abuses of the immigrants themselves, with law-abiding businesses being undercut by rule-breaking employers.
"As long as there are illegal jobs, the UK will be an attractive place for illegal immigrants. That's why we have to put a stop to employers who don't play by the rules.
"The majority of employers are law abiding, but to tackle those who fail to carry out the necessary checks we've introduced fines of up to £10,000 per illegal worker."
The operations in Hanley come at a time of reform to the UK's immigration system. An Australian-style points-based system for managing immigration and ID cards for foreign nationals were recently introduced.
Anyone who suspects illegal workers are being employed at a business can call the UK Border Agency's Stoke-on-Trent Office on 01782 463627 anonymously.
31 Comments
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by GEMMA, STOKE
Tuesday, November 04 2008, 4:44PM
“stephen - grow up! with a childish comment like that
Every body is entitled to their opinion so wind your neck in”
by The Country's gone down the pan!, Stoke
Tuesday, November 04 2008, 9:43AM
“If the UK Border Agency and HM Customs & Revenue would like to communicate with each other, they could potentially deal with the Illegal Immigrants and VAT Freudster, by vetting all of theses 'Eastern Restaurants' that are popping up everywhere, have nobody in them apart from 10 staff and a bunch of expensive German motors outside! I tell you the country's in a sorry old state!”
by Shergar, Stoke
Monday, November 03 2008, 10:22PM
“So is this a case of ' No more nails' or merely just another nail in the coffin?”
by Ian, Meir Park
Monday, November 03 2008, 6:59PM
“Warren how dare you abuse someone for telling the truth, You are not dyslexic you are just too idle to be bothered to check your spelling. You say you hold down a well paid job (note i have spelt it correctly for you) what is it you do? Not much as you are always on here. You hold a well paid position paid for by the state:- DOLE.”
by Little Bill, Stoke
Monday, November 03 2008, 6:49PM
“Big Bill, are you being sarcastic or serious?”
by Helen, Newcastle
Monday, November 03 2008, 6:07PM
“Stephen, don't knock people who work hard if they want to have their nails done, we work hard for that treat.
I personally think places like these should be boycotted.... illegal workers will not be paying tax or ni, will be sending their earnings back to their families and are no doubt using services such as the nhs whilst thy are here.. and then we wonder why the country is in the financial crisis it is!!!! There are plenty of excellant, honest, tax paying salons in hanley, use them instead.”
by stephen, fenton
Monday, November 03 2008, 5:54PM
“Gemma. Stoke..you don't agree with illegal immigrants, yet you are quite happy to have them pamper you..what a hypocrate!!! do your own nails!! it's not rocket science...”
by Gemma, stoke
Monday, November 03 2008, 5:38PM
“I have my nails done here, and i can say they are the nicest people and do a brilliant job. I have been to quite a few nail bars - natural beauty for an example and they do not do nails half as good as this nail bar. Even though this has happened i will continue to use them. Look at the people who cant be bothered to work for money and find it easy to join the dole queue - people dont even bother with them, but they do this on people who are actually working and providing a service. Dont get me wrong i dont agree with illegal immigrants and action should be taken, but i do feel some of the comments said are harsh.”
by John Lowe, Newcastle
Monday, November 03 2008, 5:29PM
“If they were illegal then they won't have been paying tax, which means they were working cash in hand, which means that Brits have been done out of jobs that should have been provided by these shops.
If they aren't doing the indigenous population any good, confiscate the premises and equipment. We need to send out a message that enough is enough, and this foreign malarky won't be accepted any longer!”
by John Lowe, Wolstanton
Monday, November 03 2008, 5:26PM
“David, mine and the BNP's answer is a system of voluntary repatriation of non indigenous immigrants and their descendants, restoring the country to it's prior homogeneous status before the advent of mass immigration.”